New York Stock exchange owners at Belfast conference

The owners of the New York stock exchange will be in Northern Ireland next month for a US investment conference.

Duncan Niederauer, chief executive of NYSE Euronext, is coming to Belfast despite global uncertainties in the financial markets.

NYSE Euronext owns and operates the New York exchange and others in Europe including London, Paris and Brussels.

Mr Niederauer said: “Northern Ireland has an important and growing presence in the global economy.

“I am honoured to participate in the US/Northern Ireland investment conference, which presents an opportunity to underscore the strong and mutually beneficial partnership between Northern Ireland and the US.”

Ian Paisley, 81, has said he intends to step down as the North’s First Minister following the three-day conference, which starts on May 7.

A total of 48 companies, including Nortel, insurance giant Allstate and finance group Citi are expected.

A representative of Donald Trump, who is considering building a luxury golf resort in the North, will also be present.

“We look forward to meeting with Dr Paisley and his son on Monday and they will be bringing a large number of Northern Ireland developers with them,” a spokesman added.

“We are still looking very seriously at Northern Ireland.”

At the end of last year Mr Paisley and Deputy First Minister Martin McGuinness spent a week in the US promoting the event and investment opportunities in Northern Ireland.

Northern Ireland’s Democratic Unionist Enterprise Minister, Nigel Dodds, said: “It is vitally important, particularly at this time, that we maintain and build strong relationships with key figures in the US administration and business community.

“The conference is a key platform upon which to do this and so, when the US economy begins to rebound, Northern Ireland is clearly established in the thoughts of key business decision makers, as a premier investment location.”